There is always the potential for danger when engaging in independent travel for a blind person. However, this danger can be significantly mitigated if you, as the driver, are familiar with the function of a white cane and the significance of a guide dog.
Drivers are required to always give blind pedestrians the right-of-way when they are on the road. When a pedestrian is crossing a street or highway with a dog or a white cane (or a white cane with a red tip), cars must stop completely.
If the blind person is on a street, then they will need to rely on their hearing to detect any approaching vehicles. If they do not hear any cars approaching, then it is safe to cross the street.
A blind man holding his stick and phone Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) are installed at certain intersections to provide individuals with visual impairments with guidance on how to determine when it is safe to cross the street.
The following are some recommendations for assisting pedestrians who are visually impaired:
- If there is no advance stop bar and there is a stop light or sign nearby, you should not stop your vehicle further than five feet away from the crosswalk (line).
- If a pedestrian who is blind relies on the sound of your engine as a way to navigate, you should pull up close to the crosswalk so that the pedestrian can hear you.
They can travel with a human guide, which means holding onto the arm of another person, with a long, white cane to help them see and avoid obstacles or changes in elevation, with a dog guide, with specialized optical or electronic aids, or without any extra help at all.
A white cane is a mobility aid that is frequently utilized by individuals who are blind or have other forms of visual impairment. The primary benefit of using a white cane is that it enables the user to survey their surroundings for potential obstacles or orientation cues. But it also lets people around know that the user is blind or has trouble seeing, so they can take the right safety measures.
It is not necessary to push or pull a blind person across the street. Therefore, you should let him take your arm if he accepts your offer of assistance in crossing the street. With his senses, he can track your every move.
The primary traveling aids for a blind person include a white cane stick. So, if you see a person walking with a cane that is entirely white, it is highly likely that they are blind or have some other form of visual impairment.
However, pedestrians who are using a cane with a red and white striped handle are deafblind (with both sight and hearing impairments).